Sainbury's Fuel Card Review 2017

Last updated on 05/06/2017 by Jane Schubert

Sainsbury’s Fuel Card Review

Sainsbury’s has introduced a fuel card for individuals and small businesses that allows them to purchase diesel and petrol fuels at any Sainsbury’s forecourt in the UK. Sainsbury's is the only supermarket to offer its own fuel card. The card provides up to 45 days interest free credit and there is no enrolment or ongoing costs. The main advantage of the card is consolidated billing for small business fleets, reduced risk of fraud, and competitive fuel prices. Sainsbury’s Fuel Card also allows drivers to collect Nectar reward points into their personal Nectar account, though Nectar points cannot be collected by the business.

The main appeal of the Sainsbury’s Fuel Card is for sole traders and small businesses that want to take greater control over their transport costs. In addition to fuel the card account can be configured to permit purchases on other vehicle and travel related items including car wash The network consists of around 258 filling stations and Sainsbury’s is committed to always offering competitive fuel pricing

Sainsbury's Fuel Card Prices

For businesses and individuals there is no initial cost or ongoing fee for the card and there is no limit to the number you can have for your fleet. Accounts are settled by direct debit on the 15th of the month allowing up to 45 days interest free credit.

Sainsbury’s Fuel Card Overview

The Sainsbury’s Fuel Card provides small business with all the efficiencies of major fuel cards yet without the associated costs. It is simple to apply for with just an online form and credit check. Monthly consolidated HMRC VAT approved invoices are issued one week before the settlement date and money is collected automatically by direct debit.

While the Sainsbury’s Fuel Card provides access to 258 forecourts, they are not evenly distributed across the UK. The main concentration is in the South East, North East, Midlands and South Wales. There are very few in the South West (just 2 in Cornwall), none in North Wales and the North West, and very few in Scotland with Scottish forecourts mainly restricted to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.

Sainsbury’s Fuel Card

For cars and vans the Sainsbury’s Fuel Card provides a range of benefits including:

Access to all Sainsbury’s filling stations in the UK. li>

Discounted fuel prices compared to other filling stations in the locality .

Up to 45 days interest free credit.

Consolidated HMRC approved VAT invoices; there is no need for drivers to retain invoices.

Monitor and control spending on fuel and related items.

No administration or annual fees; no restriction on the number of cards li>

Users can collect Nectar reward points

Cards can be configured for specific business requirements

Verdict

While the Sainsbury’s Fuel Card is a zero cost solution providing small businesses with a wide range of benefits, the downside is the restricted network of Sainsbury’s filling stations, particularly in certain regions in the UK. It is important to ensure that there is sufficient coverage for your business needs; for instance if you travel extensively in Scotland, Wales and the South West of England this card is unlikely to fulfil your requirements.

On the other hand, if the network is adequate for your needs and you are looking for an easy to implement fuel card solution, it could be the card for you. Your drivers will also benefit from the ability to collect Nectar points.

Next Steps

There are many different fuel cards to choose from and while the Sainsbury’s Fuel Card will appeal to a range of small businesses and sole traders, it might not be the best solution for you. There are other cost free cards available, and you might find a fee based card provides better benefits overall. For more information, just compete our web form and we will supply you with a range of fuel card quotations designed to suit your specific business needs.